I decided today that I want to revamp my blog: My life in lists – and other asides. I make a lot of lists (like the ultimate one – my ever-changing bucket list). So look for that to come.

In the meantime… I realised it has been almost two and a half years since I made a “playlist” post. And since I just downloaded some new music (by which I mean music from the past year), I thought now would be a good time to make said list. (Although, most of the songs are not from that “new” music – what does that say about today’s music?!?)

My favorite newer song ….

Another song I just discovered I like…. (yay B-Sides!)

This girl is pretty much me… I even rode the little mechanical horse outside the shop I bought my boots in!

One of my cheesier all time favorites…. I met the band when I was in high school … they have since disbanded 😦

And finally, the song I have recently decided to be my all time favorite song (for now)… [and I’ve been a lot of these places!]

I’ve been contemplating for weeks choices on music preferences and when we actually become conscious of them. For the past few years, I had been listening to mostly country music, which was a bit of a change from my alternative rock days and my pop princess days before that. Letely, however, I have been listening more and more to the “Adult Contemporary” stations, which is, I suppose, a combination of bubblegum pop and alternative rock with perhaps a little bit a dancey rap thrown in. I started wondering why these changes occur? Is it because of who we hang out with at the time? Or what we do? Or is it really just an evolution of who we are? All of these things boiled down to one thing: What made me consciously change my music preferences?

When I was a kid, I mostly listened to Oldies. I listened to the likes of Elvis and the Beach Boys and other pop-rock icons from the 50s and 60s. I remember going for an MRI when I was 8 and the technician asked what radio station I would like on the headphones, I said U92 (the oldies station at the time) and they were kind of surprised. This was the only music I really knew, it was what my parents listened to and what we sang in the chorus performance at school.

Then came the 1997 Nickelodeon Big Help A Thon. Even as a kid, I was a hippie, so of course loved the Big Help concept. This specific performance, however, introduced me to what are still my two favorite bands today: Sister Hazel and Barenaked Ladies. And I remember when they were first announced to take the stage I thought they were both girl bands! So began my everlasting love of 90s pop rock. (Shortly after this I got my first CD: No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom).

In 1998, all my girl friends were obsessed with the Backstreet Boys and NSync. Having always considered myself a “rocker”, I refused to buy into it. That is, until I saw NSync performing at EPCOT for the Very Merry Christmas Parade. It was a small gathering of around 60 people around a small stage that we happened to be there on a field trip during. And I was hooked. A few months later I saw the Backstreet Boys at what was my first real concert ever, and the next year some friends and I even made a video to try and meet NSync on MTV’s Fanatic. I was, I will admit, a teeny bopper.

Throughout most of high school I secretly stayed a teeny bopper listening to boy and girl pop bands as they faded into history while all of my friends were “discovering” bands like the Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead.

Then I went to a small preppy college in Georgia. Here, my pop princess side was squashed and I was forced to listen to the likes of Dave Matthews Band (which I still never really got into) and was introduced to country (a love which lay mostly dormant until about 10 years later when I started line dancing).

So while every chapter in my life I am changing and expanding my musical tastes, I will probably always come back to those bands I saw while I was still so young and impressionable. Maybe it’s because they take us back to a less complicated time in our lives. Maybe it’s because they really do write great timeless music. Maybe it’s because some bands know how to evolve with us. Whatever it is, I bet everyone, regardless of how many different genres of music they listen to, has that one moment in their life when they legitimately became aware of music as more than just a noise in the background. I’d love to hear your moments!

So, in going over my “bucket list”, I realized that, while I have done many awesome things this year (Daytona 500, Laser Tag Rave, Paint Party, etc.) I have not really done much of anything that was actually ON the list. I did dance on a bar (that was never officially on the list, but has always been on the list in my head…in fact, I shall put it on the list just so I can cross it off). I also steered a sort-of boat in Missouri. It was actually a “duck”, and I steered it the way one might say they steered the boat on the Jaws ride… so does that count? I think I need to edit my list to include some things I might be more likely to actually DO! So, list re-writing… COMMENCE!

In the mean time, I also realized that it has been a while since I made a playlist for you. So to fix that, I give you the two country songs that any dancer/musician/lover should appreciate even if they do not like country…

…welcome to the chaos that is my mind!

I just added something to my bucket list today. #34 on there, be part of a flash mob. I originally got the idea from a scene in the show Weeds where there’s an awesome flash mob…

and then today I saw a video of this recent local flash mob….

I think the idea of just randomly breaking out into dance to make other people smile is awesome. Plus, who doesn’t wish life was like a musical where everyone randomly breaks out into song and choreographed dance numbers?!?!?!?

Today is officially the first day of spring. Which in Florida means it’s just as hot as summer but doesn’t rain every day yet. And apparently all of facebook is enjoying this gorgeous weather at Caddy’s on the beach. (No joke, half my facebook friends are there right now!) I, however, am not. Because, like every absolutely gorgeous day, I have to go to work. My next day off, will probably rain, just wait. That being said, I have learned to enjoy the weather in the small ways that I can. Walking the dog an extra time or two. Or, my favorite simple pleasure in life- rolling down the windows, cranking up a good poppy tune, and waving my hand out the window as I drive down the highway trying to forget, if only for a minute, that I am on my way to a long night of work.

In true fashion of my blog, here’s a nice little playlist to help bring some sunshine to your day!

Ever get a song stuck in your head and you don’t even know why because you haven’t heard it in days?!? Sometimes I wonder if it’s just your mind being slow, or if maybe the songs are subconsciously telling you something… either way, I’ve had the most random assortment of songs stuck in my head the past few days…

About a week ago, I had “One Jump Ahead” from Aladdin stuck in my head. A couple days ago, I had three songs stuck in my head throughout the night, first was one of my favorites…

Then I had Reba stuck in my head (probably because it was on the radio on my way to work)…

Then, a song I only know because a few certain friends play it all the time….

Finally, yesterday, someone mentioned bearclaws, and like any true nerd, the first thing that came to my mind was Weird Al “NOOOOOo We’re outta Bearclaws!”

I figure it’s a new month, time for another edition of “my life in song”. By life has been, I wouldn’t say ‘depressing’, but definitely not so glamorous lately (as if it ever was!) In any case, it’s been a very “country song” couple of weeks, so all my theme songs for the moment are back to being country. If you don’t like country, just check out the lyrics.

4. I’d forgotten this song til I heard it on the radio the other day…. I have on several occasions gotten many ‘props’ for my ability to drink whiskey straight… and drink the boys under the table ;p

3. I have worked all but two days in the past three weeks, and managed to go out a few times a week still 😉 The harder I work, the more I can afford to party 🙂

2. I’ve always loved Miranda Lambert because she is the punk of country:) I love the beginning and end of this song “I’ve got a mouth like a sailor and yours is more like a Hallmark card” and “I’ll keep drinkin and you’ll keep gettin skinnier…” Haha! Love it! So me! Also a cute video:)

1. Ok, it’s hard to find an actual Eagles video of this song, but this version is not bad. The video has cool animation, that looks like the Sims dancing. I like Sims and I like dancing. And I won’t let anybody love me. So perfect.

So, in the spirit of the holiday season, and in my liking to make video playlists, I’ve decided to post my top 5 favorite holiday songs!

#5. This song just makes me laugh and I think this is a pretty cute video for it!

#4. What kind of dego would i be if I didn’t like this song? Also I love the part of the video where the reindeer sees the hills and is like “wtf?”

#3. I don’t know why but this has always been my favorite version of this song, and you can kinda swing to it!

#2. This song is how I light my hanukkiah! Not only is it one of my favorite bands, but it includes the blessings right in it so I can recite them along with!

#1. i will always be a little bit punk at heart and this is the best remake of any christmas song evar! Also, the dude signing it is my frickin hero! I’m gonna learn it!

Runners up include “Christmastime in Tinseltown Again” by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy because it’s a funny song and you can swing dance to it. And also, “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by NSYNC because I got 100 on signing it in ASL and
I still remember it perfectly to this day 10 years later.

I think it’s time I do this again. It’s my life in song. The nature of a good song is that at any given time someone can completely relate to it and say “wow, it’s almost like that song was written for me!” There are so many songs that I can relate to in some way or another, but at any given time, certain ones tend to stick out even more. So, here is my life at this moment in five songs….

It’s that time of year again. The Holidays are piling on, everyone is working overtime, I’m fairly certain that almost all of my friends can relate to this song right now. Hey, we can sleep when we’re dead, right!

I’m fairly certain I used this one in my last post like this. Probably because it seriously fits me. Only my nails ARE painted black. And I only want to ride the mechanical bull:) Take notes boys…

I’ve tried a lot of things in my life, some I’m better at than others, but mostly I have fairly useless talents. Although I would like to thank everyone who has given me the chance lately to prove that I am actually intelligent and useful. But I do love the nightlife. And my Bud Light. (Although Guinness would be even better- but I don’t expect to find Guinness in a country song- until I write one 😉 )

This one is because I pretty much want to live in the music video. Also, no matter what, I want to dance.

This one is classic words of wisdom from a wise man- and also kinda the story of my life. So here’s to hoping one day I can trust…

In any case, I hope you liked your musical break for the day. I intend to do this every once in a while. For my [revious post like this, see… Life is Like A Country Song!

So I’ve always used poetry and songs to describe my life at any given time. I listen to a lot of country, but I feel like those are the songs that ring truest to anyone’s life, because that’s what they are about. The songs below are the ones that most desrcibe my life right now…. I think it would be more fun for you to listen to them than read a bunch of babel from me- dontcha think?

Even if you don’t care for country, check them out! The lyrics are really good and so are some of the videos. I know some of you swing kids will appreciate a couple of ’em.

This is a new one that really fits (just change the word “women” to “men”, haha!)

This is another new one I really like, I know all to well the “I don’t love yous” that really mean you do…

These are standbys, that pretty much always describe my life…

Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.
My life has become one giant crazy random happenstance.